Composite Hybrid Panel, or Building Element for Combined Heating, Cooling, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

ABSTRACT

An invention of composite, hybrid radiant/forced and natural convection, integrated, sandwiched, multi-role panel ( 1 ) optimally integrates heating, cooling, ventilating, air-conditioning, thermo-electric effect, energy recovery, and energy storage functions at very moderate operating temperatures such that it can directly utilize renewable and waste energy resources having very low energy. The composite hybrid panel or building element ( 1 ) having a diffuser layer ( 2 ) that is thermally conductive, a porous layer ( 3 ) providing uniform air diffusion, a thermal insulation layer ( 4 ) simply attached or embedded or integrated to a building wall ceiling, floor or stands alone for indoor space partitioning purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to composite, integrated, sandwiched, multi-role,hybrid radiant-convective panel or building element, which optimallyintegrates heating, cooling, ventilating, air-conditioning functions andany other indoor function like air pressure control, thermo-electriceffect, energy recovery, and energy storage functions at very moderatetemperatures such that it can directly utilize renewable and wasteenergy resources with very low exergy.

2. Description of Prior Art

Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems have to satisfythree primary comfort functions, namely heating and cooling, humiditycontrol, and ventilation. These functions are usually delegated toeither a central forced convection air-conditioning system, or unitaryair-conditioners, or hydronic heating/cooling systems (like convectivefan-coils or radiant panels). In turn, in existing building technologywalls, ceilings, and floors are non-HVAC functional, except acting likeradiant panels or carrying ducts or chilled beams. On the other hand,radiant panels or chilled beams alone cannot control indoor humidity andcannot satisfy latent thermal loads. They can only satisfy sensiblethermal loads.

Building elements, walls, ceilings and floors may be more cost effectiveand energy efficient if they are directly used for HVAC and other indoorfunctions and satisfy both sensible and latent loads.

In particular, forced convection air-conditioning through a single ductsystem compromises the efficiency and comfort functions, which are nottruly compatible and sometimes contradictory. Ducts of a centralair-conditioning system spanning the entire building are expensive andthey are energy, premium space, and material intensive, they needfrequent, if not continuous maintenance and inspection for indoor airquality reasons for human health and other functional requirements likeclean rooms, hospitals, schools etc, to name a few.

On the other hand, available terminal units of existing technology,whether air or hydronic, primarily function by either thermal convectionor radiation, whereas optimum human comfort precisely requires a radiantconvective split of 60% by 40%, of which, none of the existing HVACsystems can provide.

Hydronic systems like radiators or radiant panels are more energydistribution efficient but cannot handle latent loads without asecondary air system. For example, a recent DOE (Department of Energy)study classifies ceiling panel cooling as the most energy efficientsystem (DE-AC01-96CE23798) but requires a secondary air system in orderto satisfy latent loads (humidity control of indoor air).

Conventional HVAC systems are designed to use high-energy resources,commonly fossil fuel based, at very low-energy efficiency, like 6%. Whenthese systems are attempted to be coupled with low-energy renewable orwaste energy resources, HVAC equipment and terminal units need to beeither over sized or resource temperature need to be conditioned, orboth, each of which are costly penalties and often diminish theenvironmental and exergetic advantages of utilizing renewable and wasteenergy resources. In other words, conventional HVAC systems, whichfundamentally remained unchanged for over a century are incompatiblewith low-exergy renewable and waste energy resources and requiresubstantial equipment over sizing and/or conditioning of the resourcetemperature with boilers, heat pumps, and chillers. As a result, theseenergy resources will not economically and rationally substitute fossilfuels unless a new HVAC system is introduced, which may directly utilizethem. The only heating and cooling system that can be directly coupledto low-exergy energy resources without any penalty is radiant panelsystem. However, radiant panel systems cannot handle latent loads likehumidity control and a secondary system needs to be introduced to thesame indoor space to satisfy latent loads. The so-called hybrid HVACsystem is a co-location of at least two different types of heating and acooling system like a radiant panel and a convective system like acondensing type fan-coil in the same indoor space.

Although the hybrid HVAC system seems to be a possible candidate forbetter utilization of low-exergy renewable and waste energy resources,it can only optimize the equipment over sizing and temperatureconditioning instead of eliminating these costly measures, whichdiminish major advantages of low-exergy energy resources. For exampleeven after using design and sizing optimization tools developed by theInventor, a fan-coil and radiant panel combination using 45° C. wastewater for space heating requires 60% equipment over sizing and a boilerto peak the resource temperature from 45° C. This example shows thatwhichever engineering ingenuity and mathematical tools are employed, thefeasibility of coupling conventional HVAC systems directly withlow-exergy energy resources is quite limited and remains uneconomical.

Conventional HVAC technologies worldwide encounter four major problems:

-   -   1- They cannot directly couple with low-exergy energy resources        without impairing performance of other green components and        without substantial economic and technical penalties.    -   2- They cannot actively control radiant/convective heat transfer        split for maximum human comfort.    -   3- Installation, operation, and maintenance are costly and        energy and occupied space intensive.    -   4- They require uncomfortably low condensation temperature of        humid air in order to control the indoor air humidity. This        renders generally a re-heat process and reduces the coefficient        of performance (COP) of heat pumps and chillers.

About 90% of HVAC systems use central forced-air distribution, which isthe least economical and exergetically most inefficient system. On theother hand, technologies mainly emerging in Europe like chilled beamsand similar radiant systems cannot handle latent (humidity control)loads without an additional conventional system.

The apparatus of this invention overcomes these problems mentioned aboveby combining all HVAC functions into a single terminal unit that candirectly couple with low-exergy energy resources. This invention housesall HVAC elements in it or this invention may also be used with anycentral HVAC system, heat pump system or central heating or coolingsystem as an n efficient and multi-role terminal unit without housingany HVAC element like dehumidifier etc.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present apparatus of invention, which is acomposite hybrid radiant and convective panel takes the hybrid HVACconcept one big step further and combines different and essentialradiant and convective components of HVAC physically into a composite,single terminal unit for total human comfort, and any other buildingfunctions and eliminates the four major problems of conventional HVACsystem. The same system may equally be effective for animal shelters,greenhouses and storage buildings, libraries, and museums. The inventioncomprises a thermally active and hydrodynamically porous diffuser plate,which acts as both a radiant and forced/natural convection heat exchangesurface and a latent air diffusion surface for total comfort servicefrom such a single surface. This surface is encased in a wall, ceilingor floor panel, encased in an office cubicle partition, or embedded to asection of the building structure or any building element. Heating andcooling of the air diffusing into the indoor space from the compositehybrid panel can be pre-conditioned in a central system or by the panelitself by hydronic pipes or electric cables (heating only) orthermo-electric effect wires (cooling only) or any combination of allthese placed behind the porous diffuser plate. These cables, wires,pipes also heat or cool the diffuser plate surface to make it a radiantpanel surface at the same time. Conversely pre-conditioned air may alsomake the diffuser plate surface thermal radiation-wise active withoutpipes, wires, or electric cables. In summary, diffusing air is heated orcooled and humidity conditioned by different systems in a part of thesame encasement or air is pre-conditioned by other external systemsoutside the encasement. The thermal mass of apparatus stores heat orcold thus shaves-off the peak sensible thermal loads. It may alsoincorporate a building exterior integrated feature, which collectsenergy. The same encasement of the apparatus may also house othersanitary, comfort and utility functions like air filtering, airsanitization, ionization, air-pressure control, indoor lighting,electrical power supply lines and or bus-bars, plumbing pipes, internet,wired or wireless communication systems.

The invention also comprises an apparatus and method for dynamicallyoptimum operation control for minimum cost and maximum efficiency, andan operation control algorithm for different objective functions.Objects and Advantages

Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the composite hybridradiant/convective panel described in my above patent, several objectsand advantages of the present invention are:

-   -   to provide HVAC and other indoor functional walls, ceilings and        floors in existing building technology,    -   to provide HVAC cheaper than a central, forced-convection system        with ducts and reduce its disadvantages or occupying        cost-premium indoor space and material and energy intensive        capital and operating costs,    -   to provide intuitive hybrid HVAC system to optimally satisfy all        objective and subjective human comfort requirements in a        dynamically optimum cost and maximum energy and exergy        efficiency,    -   to provide intuitive hybrid HVAC system, which can handle latent        loads without a separate air system,    -   to provide a hybrid HVAC system that can directly utilize        low-exergy energy resources, which otherwise are wasted    -   to provide a new hybrid HVAC system such that renewable energy        resources may economically and rationally substitute fossil        fuels,    -   A unified, single apparatus to provide all building functions as        necessary,    -   A unified, single apparatus that can operate stand-alone (by        itself) or can be optimally modulated into other conventional        systems.

DRAWING FIGURES

In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number butdifferent alphabetic suffixes.

FIG. 1A shows cross sectional side view of the innovative compositehybrid panel (in wall position for demonstration purposes) having threelayers and a decorative, porous, hybrid radiant, forced/naturalconvection functional cover.

FIG. 1B shows front view of a preferable embodiment with heating and/orcooling elements of innovative wall panel (surface porosity not shown).The geometry of the composite hybrid panel may be any suitable geometrylike rectangle, square, parallelogram, circular, oval etc.

FIG. 1C shows front sectional view of a preferable embodiment of aporous layer of innovative wall panel, where the degree of porosity,thus air-flow resistance changes both in lateral and transversedirections in order to compensate the asymmetric air intake and fanlocation (porosity holes not to scale in the figure).

FIG. 2A shows cross sectional side view of the innovative compositehybrid panel without diffuser layer and heating and/or elements.

FIG. 2B shows front view of the preferable embodiment of hybrid wallpanel without heating and or cooling elements (no pipes, cables orwires).

FIG. 3A shows cross sectional side view of the innovative splittablecomposite hybrid panel when the air intake and conditioning-filteringetc duct is separated.

FIG. 3B shows front view of the innovative splittable composite hybridpanel without air duct.

FIG. 3C shows an embodiment of an air duct splittable from compositehybrid panel.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of breathing system composed of placing twocomposite hybrid panels (in this case wall panels for demonstrationpurposes) while one of two includes a diffuser layer and the other doesnot.

FIG. 5 shows an example application for completely Green, InnovativeBuilding HVAC Technology using a heat pump.

FIG. 6 shows an example application of completely Green, InnovativeBuilding HVAC Technology using heat pipes.

FIG. 7 shows an algorithm of control apparatus that optimizes the loadsplit PR.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

1. Composite hybrid panel (shown in wall position) 2. Air diffuser 3.Porous layer 4. Thermal insulator (preferably from recycled organicmaterial) 5. Heating and or cooling element 6. Decorative and porousfront cover 7. Air filter 8. Air duct 9. Fan 10. UV Lamps 11. Airhumidifier unit 12. Dehumidifier unit (preferably liquid desiccant) 13.Sensors 14. Wind Turbine 15. Solar Photovoltaic Cells 16. Solar WaterPanel 17. Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) 18. Electric battery 19.Hydronic Circuit 20. Desiccant de-humifier and cooler 21. TES (ThermalEnergy Storage) 22. Seasonal Energy Storage System (ground heat exchangecoils) 23. Capillary tubes

Description—FIGS. 1A and 1B—Preferred Embodiments

A preferred embodiment of the composite hybrid panel 1 of the presentinvention is illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. As shown in FIG. 1A,the innovative composite hybrid panel 1 comprises three layers 2, 3, 4and a decorative, porous, and other functional front cover 6. From thefront cover, the composite hybrid panel surface exchanges heat with theindoor space by thermal radiation and natural thermal convection. At thesame time, conditioned air is diffused to the indoor space through thepores of the panel surface, thus establishing a forced convection heattransfer. Diffuser 2, which is air diffusing and thermally conductinglayer of any porous material like stainless steel wool made from metalscrap or metal waste from any machine shop and then treated withanti-bacterial agents like silver-based anti-microbial agent or anyother environmentally friendly antibacterial material. It also houseshydronic tubing or capillary tubes for heating and or cooling orelectrical heating cable, electrical mat or thermo-electric cooling wireor wire mat 5. Hydronic tubing (like thermoplastic tubing) or piping(like any metal pipe) or any capillary tubing is preferably made fromfossil fuel by products or any other recycled or suitable scrapmaterial. This layer 2 enhances heat transfer to/from the panel surfaceand helps o maintain a uniform surface temperature for even thermalradiation and convection. The porous layer 3 is made from any material;preferably, recycled or inverse engineered product like spray glued woodchips or shredded auto tires with pre-engineered variation of its degreeof porosity in three dimensions in order to provide uniform airdiffusion to the room over the entire panel surface. An analytic ornumerical model determines the porosity and size distribution in alldimensions (height, width, depth). This porous layer may have a constantwidth (thickness) like shown in the relevant figures or may have avariable thickness in order to facilitate the uniformity of airdiffusion. For example, this layer may taper along the height of thepanel. Back and side thermal insulation preferably from recycled organicmaterial with fire-resistant properties 4 minimizes energy losses. Thecomposite hybrid panel 1 is preferably framed by recycled, environmentsafe, chemical free wood profiles and it is simply attached to thebuilding wall. All material is fire-resistance compliant. Total panelthickness is typically and preferably, 6 inch (15 cm). Composite hybridpanels 1 may be combined and interconnected with each other or otherbuilding panels and plumbing elements with air and hydronic connectors.A dynamically active control apparatus controls all indoor functions.

As shown in FIG. 1B, a heating and or cooling element 5 may be placedinto the diffuser 2 of the innovative composite hybrid panel 1. Theheating and or cooling element 5 can be for example PEX tubing for warmor cold fluid circulation or electrical heating wires, electric mats, orthermo-electric effect (cooling) wires or mats. The shape and type ofthe heating element do not limit the scope. The important point isheating or cooling the panel surface when required with a dynamicallycontrolled system (see FIG. 7). The fan 9 inhales or brings fresh airinto the air duct 8. Location, type, capacity, number and dimensions ofthe fan 9 used in the panel can be altered or changed. Fans may belocated symmetrically or asymmetrically in any number, in any type or acombination of types and at any level of the panel and or in the airduct. The air filter 7 typically electrostatic type strains the airintroduced to the air duct 8. The UV lamps 10 clean and disinfect theair. A humidifier 11 and dehumidifier 12 can be placed into the air ductto control air relative humidity of the diffusing air for maximum humancomfort and required levels. The arrows in FIG. 1B shows the typicaldirections of air circulation from air duct 8 to diffuser 2 and porouslayer 3 in a uniform pattern. Because of the location of the fan(s) 9, asample position shown in FIG. 1B, air diagonally moves and advances fromair duct 8 to porous wall 3 and—if exists—to diffuser 2. Therefore thepores of the porous layer can be accordingly arranged, in this samplecase diagonally, which is in a manner that the smallest pore is thenearest to the fan 9 and pores are less populated in order to increasethe airflow resistance in this region.

FIG. 2A shows the innovative composite and hybrid panel without heatingor cooling pipes or electric cables/wires. This arrangement establishesa passive composite hybrid panel or building element structure, which isa part of the invented continuous air breathing system. Passive andactive panels continuously breathe air except at off periods of thesystem if an on-off control is used. The preferable control apparatusand algorithm (FIG. 7) is a dynamic, temperature and airflow modulatedcontrol by varying the radiant/convective split and fluid temperatures.Side sectional view of this passive panel (in wall position) isdisplayed in FIG. 2B. The passive panel exhausts the air from the indoorspace in a project-suitable manner or feeds it to re-circulation. Theconfiguration shown in FIG. 2B for a passive panel may also be used foractive panel configuration if the panel surface temperature control isalso going to be accomplished by the conditioned air diffusing to theroom through the panel pores.

FIGS. 3A to C show a splittable composite hybrid panel where the panel 1and the air duct 8 can be separated for any reason like maintenance,repair or mounting. The splittable composite hybrid panel 1 may also beseparately marketed if it will be serviced by a separate central system.In another case, a single air duct 8 may service a plurality ofcomposite hybrid panels 1 with conditioned air, electricity, hot wateror heating or cooling.

FIG. 4 shows the air breathing system composed of mutually locatedpanels 1. In this system, one of the panels has diffuser layer andheating and or cooling elements, which is named active panel. The otherpanel is called passive panel, as it does not include diffuser andheating and or cooling elements. Passive panel is used only for airexhaust, energy recovery and other indoor functions desired at thatindoor location. While active wall exhales fresh, conditioned air intoindoors, passive wall inhales. The connecting pipe 23 at the bottom inFIG. 4 shows a case where capillary tubes are used to bring liquiddesiccant fluid from the active panel air duct 8 and to charge it at thepassive panel air duct using the reclaimed (recovered) heat at thepassive panel from the warm exhaust air and return the charged desiccantfluid back to active panel air duct 8 for continuing its dehumidifyingfunction.

FIGS. 5 and 6—Applications of Preferred Embodiments

As shown in FIG. 5, in the heating mode, if the energy is derived fromwarm water, a water to air heat exchanger heats the incoming air, andthe remaining energy in the warm water circulates through typically PEXtubing of heating element 5, typically and preferably 0.75 inch (13 mm)in diameter. Tube spacing is determined according to the requiredthermal capacity. If the energy is derived from warm air, like from asolar air collector, the exchanger becomes air to water. Heat exchangersmay be in every floor or tiny flat plate heat exchangers can beincorporated into the air duct of each composite hybrid radiant/forcedand natural convection panel 1. The advantage of the latter is that onetype of fluid circulates in the system. Heating or cooling elements 5transfer heat to/from the indoors through the decorative front cover 6,which acts as a radiant panel surface. Radiant panel surfacetemperature, which controls the radiant and natural convection heattransfer at the entire panel surface is adjusted with respect to thermalloads by the fluid temperature circulating through the heating orcooling elements, or the electrical power of the electrical cables, matsor wires, or diffusing air temperature or both. Air diffusing throughthe thermal energy storing air diffuser 2 is further heated or cooledbefore entering the indoor space by the heating or cooling elements—ifpresent. Air diffusion provides the forced convection component andsatisfies all the latent thermal loads (humidity control). A dedicatedcontrol algorithm precisely maintains the best radiant/convective splitfor human comfort. A similar composite hybrid panel 1 without airdiffuser 2 and heating element 5 is mounted on preferably an oppositeside of the indoor space like the opposite wall if panels are located atwalls, in order to to draw air from indoors and to deliver it back forre-circulation or exhaust all or part of it. This is the “passive”composite hybrid panel. Composite hybrid panel 1 may be serviced by aflexible mini-duct system to deliver externally conditioned air-to-airduct 8. Air passes through a re-usable electrostatic, plasma, ionic, orHEPA air filter 7, pass through UV lamps for sterilization and thendiffuses through the porous layer 3. A pre-filter may also be used atthe upstream of the fan. This invention can be directly coupled with acluster of other green energy components like wind turbines (WT) 14,solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays 15, solar water panels 16, ground sourceheat pumps (GSHP) 17, and energy storage systems 22 (FIG. 3). Anycombination of such a cluster derives a completely green buildingtechnology and can eliminate fossil fuel dependency. When a GSHP 17 iscoupled to the composite hybrid panel system 1; it provides heat (inwinter) from or rejects heat (in summer) to the ground, which alsoprovides seasonal (long-term) energy storage. Hydronic circuit 19conditions the ventilation air, provides energy to the composite hybridpanel tubing of the heating or cooling elements 5, and activates liquiddesiccant de-humidifier and air cooler 20. WT 14 provides greenelectricity and incorporates batteries. Composite hybrid panel 1 itselfis short-term thermal energy storage medium due to its relatively largethermal mass. A medium-term TES 21 shaves-off the peaks of the load andthe green energy supply, and further shaves-off the demand. Solar waterpanels 16 deliver additional heat. Due to decreased, coincident loads,all green components have minimal size and peak performance. A furtherapplication of the invention is shown in FIG. 7, where heating element 5directly transfer heat from/to the ground by the use of capillary tubes.Composite hybrid panel 1 may also be integrated into a Trombe wallsection on the outside or incorporate phase change materials for energystorage. Other plumbing and building control and energy supply elementsmay be pre-engineered and pre-fabricated into these panels too,depending upon the need and production options to be marketed.

As a preferred embodiment, the composite hybrid panel 1 operates with aheat pump and satisfies the total sensible indoor space comfort load byradiant and convective components of heat transfer from its poroussurface 6.

In this patent, the load split is defined by the symbol PR, which needsto be optimized continuously in order to minimize the cost of thesystem. An optimum sensible load split control apparatus was inventedwhich continuously optimizes PR by continuously calculating the indoorsensible comfort load q. In cooling q is negative and in heating q ispositive by sign convention.

PR=C¹|q|   (1)

Here PR is the optimum, instantaneous sensible load split between theradiant and convective components of the composite hybrid panel 1,depending upon the instantaneous total sensible load q. In Equation 1,the absolute value of q is used. C′ is a performance characteristicconstant:

$\begin{matrix}{C^{\prime} = {{- \frac{C_{h\; p}}{C_{I}}}\frac{a}{( {{xC}_{p}M^{x - 1}} )}}} & (2)\end{matrix}$

In Equation 2, x is −1.5 C_(hp) is the life-cycle-cost of the heat pumpcoupled to the composite hybrid panel system whose life-cycle costfactor is C_(p). M is the design spacing of the hydronic tubing, orelectric cables, or thermo-electric function wires 5 in the hybridcomposite panel 1. α is a constant between 0.001 and 7.0. C₁ is constantdepending upon the fluid temperature required from the heat pump. Thecontrol apparatus is schematically shown in FIG. 7.

As a sample application, the control apparatus continuously monitors themean radiant temperature t_(mr), average dry-bulb air temperature of theindoor space t_(a), and AUST (Area weighted uncontrolled indoor surfacesof the indoor space). Using these values, the outdoor temperature andthe heat overall load loss (gain in cooling) U of the indoor space.Control is based on two steps. The first step modulates the temperaturesof the diffusing air and fluid temperature depending upon the magnitudeof q. The second step determines PR, which means how much of thesensible load is going to be satisfied by the radiant surface comparedto the total sensible load. Thus, PR is a ratio. If the optimum PR needsto adjust the fluid temperatures, they are adjusted accordingly. Ift_(a), t_(mr), or AUST are not in acceptable ranges, then the optimumsolution is re-adjusted. Fan speeds are also controlled and adjusted.

One another important feature of these active and passive compositehybrid panels is that the indoor air pressure in every zone may beindependently adjusted for premium human comfort. For example, when theoutdoor air pressure is low, migraine headaches are aggravated incertain people. In such cases, an indoor pressure conditioning mayreduce or even eliminate these symptoms. Positive pressurization ofindoors on a zone-by-zone basis is also very important for homelandsecurity. If an outside CBR risk evolves, positive pressurization of thebuilding is possible. If an indoor CBR risk evolves, the risk can beisolated by adjusting the indoor air pressures of each zoneindependently. Active panel “exhales” and passive panel “inhales.” Thisbreathing system spread over the entire large surface area of the panelgenerates a uniform indoor environment and surrounding. Without anypassive panel, the invention relies on air exfiltration from theconditional indoor space. The same invention may also embed air ionizingtechnique or plasma filtration method. In air ionization air is ionizedin a controlled manner in the active panel, and pollutants are collectedon the passive panel. On the passive panel, decorative cover is replacedperiodically. Because the airflow is slow, dust problem in indoors aregenerally minimized by this invention.

Another important application of these active and passive panels isthat, the same invention may be applied to floors, ceilings, roofs,attic panels, or indoor partitioning walls in part or whole of theinvention. For example, the same invention may be used for officecubicles to generate local/personal microenvironment climate, lightingand hub for electronic components, computers, etc. This invention may beapplied to any kind of building like but not limited to residential,commercial, industrial, etc. The same invention may be used in groundtransportation and sea vessels and aircrafts with the exception in thiscase that these hybrid composite panels 1 may have no outsideconnection. The same invention may also be employed in spacecrafts whereenergy is limited and human comfort is a premium especially in emergencycases: in an emergency, the use of energy can be minimized in thecomposite hybrid panel 1 simply switching to radiant mode only.

All passive and active panels, ceiling, or even floor panels mayincorporate artificial lighting elements over a wide surface area inparticular but not limited to new low temperature, low energy, andcloser to natural day lighting type lighting fixtures such as LED orsimilar lamp devices. Low intensity lighting over a larger surface areis more energy efficient and closer to natural lighting. These fixturesmay be color and intensity variable in order to emulate a complete cycleof day lighting. In particular, this emulation may be useful in aircraftand spacecraft cabins to minimize the rapid earthly time zone changes toemulate the usual 24 hour cycle for astronauts in spacecrafts.

In particular but not limited to hybrid floor panel version, thisinvention may be used in other functions and applications like but notlimited to animal shelters or pens, sport facilities (like outdoortennis courts in winter), outdoor applications for cafes, greenhouses,public areas, restaurants, zoos, warehouses, controlled climatepharmaceutical and electronics buildings, storage rooms, hospitals,schools, offices, apartments, micro-climate control systems etc.

Another important application of these active and passive panels may bein museums or libraries to generate temporary or permanent display areaswith zone control and independent HVAC application such that museumpersonnel, patrons, and artifacts books etc are maintained in anenvironment with maximum benefits without any compromise. For example ina library of old books and manuscripts, the air temperature must be low,while the humans must be thermally comfortable. Due to the dual controlnature of the composite hybrid panel such that radiant surfacetemperature and the flowing air temperature can be independentlycontrolled, the air temperature is kept minimal while human thermalcomfort requirements are satisfied by the radiant heat transfercomponent of the composite hybrid panel 1.

This Invention may also be coupled, integrated, and made compatible andable to integrate with new building construction technologies likebuilding, panels for walls, floors, and roofs. The invention maybeembedded into such building panels too.

This Invention may also incorporate natural ventilation through outdoorswith a controlled or pre-engineered degree of porosity/permeability ofoutdoor air. Exhaust of air may be accomplished at the passive panel ina similar fashion. This combination eliminates ducts for indoor airventilation requirements. These panels may have additional air filterlayers for outdoor air.

Advantages

Further objects and advantages are enumerated below.

-   -   1. As a key feature, this technology operates at very moderate        temperatures, so that it can be directly coupled to low-exergy        energy resources such as solar, waste, and ground heat. This        complete compatibility eliminates the conventional HVAC plants,        terminal units, and associated energy losses, may increase the        exergetic efficiency from about 15% to 80%, and proportionally        eliminates environmental degradation.    -   2. This technology improves the HVAC thermal efficiency by about        12% points and reduces heating and cooling loads by up to 40%.        Fossil fuel dependence may be reduced by up to 90%, and        electrical power demand is reduced by about 85%. The combined        result is a substantial decrease in oil and gas dependency and        increased energy security.    -   3. Engineering calculations show that capital cost may up to 70%        cheaper, operating and maintenance costs may be up to 80%        cheaper, when compared to central air-conditioning systems,        after correcting the latter figure for the desiccant cooler.    -   4. This technology can significantly enhance economical and        technical feasibility of using heat pumps, solar water heating        panels, and wind turbines. For example, if a ground source heat        pump is used with this invention, its COP increases typically by        40%, which offsets additional investment and operating costs,        and adds positive impact on the environment. If wind energy        drives the GSHP, the system becomes completely green as shown in        FIG. 5. Even if only solar water panels are used, the overall        installation cost will compete with conventional HVAC systems,        when increased solar panel efficiency is also factored-in. This        reveals that solar panel water heaters in building heating and        cooling can become perfectly economical even with today's solar        panel technology, when they are coupled with the invention.        Therefore, this invention provides a huge market and energy        savings potential in solar building sector too. The same is also        true for micro and district CHP (Combined Heat and Power) and        CCHP (Combined Cold Heat and Power) systems.    -   5. Better indoor air distribution and circulation improve        comfort. Anti-microbial properties of this technology help to        sustain a healthier and mold free indoor environment.    -   6. Because the conditioned airflow rate is reduced by about 50%        and complete zoning is possible, the bio-terror risk in a 15-m        indoor radius decreases in similar proportion.    -   7. The building sector will significantly save energy and fossil        fuel with the proposed technology and saved fossil fuels will be        allocated to uses that are more rational.    -   8. Higher exergy and energy efficiency of the invention will        contribute to improvement of the environmental quality and        sustainability.

Commercialization /Market Potential

The invention is a complete package of integrated, composite hybridradiant/forced and natural convection heat transfer wall panel forhybrid HVAC, which can be directly coupled to renewable or waste energysources. This is an important step for environmental issues and energyeconomy. The invention has its own dedicated dynamic control apparatus(FIG. 7) and optimization algorithm, which makes the invention alsoadaptable and affordable. The invention may also be coupled to severalother green component cluster options as typically shown in FIG. 5 andFIG. 6, in order to suit every need, building type, geographic location,and energy market.

Because a simple shop technology and a waste material supply aresufficient, production investment shall be minimal and attractive. Witha combination of strong commercial and industrial interest amonghomeowners, contractors, and decision-makers, and ease of manufacturing,commercialization of the proposed technology is feasible and will beseamless with the HVAC market.

Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope

An invention of composite, integrated, sandwiched, multi-role compositeradiant wall panel optimally integrates heating, cooling, ventilating,air-conditioning, thermo-electric, energy recovery, and energy storagefunctions at very moderate temperatures such that is can directlyutilize renewable and waste energy resources having very low exergy. Thesame panel may also modularly integrate or connect with/to otherbuilding functions, plumbing functions, electric/electronic functions,and indoor air pressure control functions. The above-mentioned functionsmay all be present or only some of these functions may be present. Thepanel may be completely opaque, completely transparent, orsemi-transparent. Direct compatibility with low-exergy energy resourceseliminates costly equipment over sizing and resource temperatureconditioning associated with conventional HVAC systems. Significantimplications are the cost effective utilization of abundantly availablelow-exergy energy resources in all types of buildings, consequentialsubstitution of fossil fuels in the building industry, and proportionalreduction of harmful emissions on a macro scale, overall cost reductionof buildings, cost and thermally, exergetically effective energyconserving building envelope. This invention optimally combines radiantand convective heat transfer and collectively maximizes all humancomfort requirements by integrating HVAC functions with all otherbuilding functions into a single element in energy efficient,economically effective, innovative, single-source manners. More uniform,mold-free, and healthier indoor air distribution and complete zoningcapability improves the indoor air quality, human comfort, and reducesrisks of airborne CBR agents (Chemical, Biological, and Radiological)from homeland security perspectives. This system is easy to install,operate, and maintain both in existing and new buildings. A simple shopusing 100% recyclable waste material and fossil fuel by-products canmanufacture the composite hybrid panel structure. In a typical housethis system can reduce HVAC loads by 40%, increase overall thermalefficiency by 12% points, improve exergetic efficiency from 15% to 80%,eliminate fossil fuel dependency by 90%, and reduce bio-terror risk. Theinvestment cost will be 70% cheaper and the operating cost will beone-fifth when waste heat is used. The composite hybrid wall panel mayreplace conventional boilers, furnaces, and chillers at the plant level,bulky air-conditioning ducts and terminal HVAC units at the terminallevel, adds a desiccant cooling system at an intermediate level, andprecisely embeds radiant and connective heat transfer at the 60% by 40%split, that may also be adjusted with an innovative control algorithm.Ground source heat pumps (GSHP), solar panels (SP), and wind turbines(WT) may mutually enhance their attributes with the invention. Thisinvention primarily targets walls, which have the same heating andcooling effectiveness.

1. A composite, multi-layered, sandwiched, hybrid total heat and masstransfer panel or building element that are all encased together to forma totally enclosed conduit, that can deliver both actively, or passivelyand independently controlled all three possible components of heattransfer in air-conditioning, namely radiant, forced-convection andnatural-convection by the panel itself in either indoor heating orcooling modes, which may have latent or sensible cooling components,whereas this panel may be functional as a total, stand-alone HVAC system(heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) or functional in any otherapplications, any of which may require a variable split of thermalradiation, forced-convection and natural-convection heat transfer,ventilation and air-conditioning, characterized by comprising a frontcover, a porous layer, which provides a more uniform air diffusion andalso acts as a medium of thermal storage, wherein said panel has aventilation, a combined forced and natural convection heating andcooling, a thermal radiation heating and cooling, and air-conditioningfunctions all of which may co-exist or any one of them or some of themin any combination or ratio may be actively or passively adjusted anddelivered to exist at any time of operation, depending upon the optimumoperating conditions required and indoor functions in demand.
 2. Thecomposite hybrid heat and mass transfer panel or building element ofclaim 1 further comprising heating and or cooling elements in the formof liquid circulating (hydronic pipes), and or electric cables and orthermo-electric effect wires.
 3. The composite hybrid heat and masstransfer panel or building element of claim 1 further comprising athermally conductive diffuser layer, which is a thermal storage mediumand also makes the airflow and temperature distribution on the panelsurface more uniform.
 4. The composite hybrid heat and mass transferpanel or building element of claim 3 wherein said diffuser layer iscomposed of stainless steel wool from metal scrap or other recyclingmaterials in order to further improve the thermal and temperaturedistribution.
 5. The composite hybrid heat and mass transfer panel orbuilding element of claim 1, further comprising a thermal insulatorlayer having fire resistant properties that is attachable to a buildingwall, ceiling or floor or usable as an indoor partition.
 6. Thecomposite hybrid heat and mass transfer panel or building element ofclaim 1 wherein said porous layer is composed of glued wood chips and/orauto tires or other recycled materials.
 7. The composite hybrid heat andmass transfer panel or building element of claim 1 further comprising anelectrostatic, ionic, plasma and HEPA air filter and/or UV lamps.
 8. Thecomposite hybrid heat and mass transfer panel of claim 1 that can bedirectly embedded in to a green building and environment systemcomprising an energy supply including at least one of wind turbines(WT), solar photovoltaic arrays, and solar hot water panels, andcomprising ground source heat pumps (GSHP), a thermal energy storagemedium (TES), and a heat transferring liquid circuit, wherein said GSHPprovides heat (in winter) from or rejects heat (in summer) to the groundand seasonal energy storage, and activates said sensible cooler byabsorption, wherein said TES reduces the peak values of thermal loadsand the green energy demand, said energy supply delivering additionalheat, and wherein said hydronic circuit conditions ventilation air, andprovides energy to said composite hybrid panel tubing.
 9. The compositehybrid heat and mass transfer panel or building element of claim 8wherein said pane comprises at least one heating clement directlytransferring heat from/to the ground by use of the heat pipes.
 10. Thecomposite hybrid heat and mass transfer panel or building element ofclaim 1, wherein said porous layer, said front cover, and a thermalinsulator layer establish a passive panel.
 11. The composite hybrid heatand mass transfer panel or building element of claim 1, wherein saidporous layer, a thermal insulator layer, and an air diffuser layerestablish an active panel.
 12. Two composite hybrid heat and masstransfer panels of claim 1, wherein said porous layer, and an airdiffuser layer are arranged back to back without a thermal insulatorlayer to establish a stand-alone two directional active panel system forindoor partitioning, wherein both or any of the composite hybrid panelscomprise LED or similar lighting elements on the panel surface and/orelectric power and/or electronic data transfer lines and/or bus bars.13. A method for using the composite hybrid heat and mass transfer panelor building element of claim 1, wherein said porous layer and a thermalinsulator layer establish a passive panel and said porous layer, athermal insulator layer and an air diffuser layer establish an activepanel, the method comprising the steps of: placing said passive panel atan opposite facing side of said active panel so as to provide acontinuously breathing system such that said passive panel inhales andsaid active panel exhales during operation.
 14. A method for using thecomposite hybrid panel or building element of claim 13 comprising thesteps of ionizing air in a controlled manner on said active panel, andcollecting pollutants on said passive panel.
 15. The method for usingcomposite hybrid panel or building elements of claim 13, wherein theindoor air pressure is adjusted in a controlled manner.